NRM York - Toffee Apple (31018) missing details from its livery?

[delt1c]

Just visited the NRM at York, looking at 31.018 I keep see something was missing , the Red Circle coupling codes on the cabs. Then looked at D8000 and D200 and noticed these lacked the blue star coupling codes on the cabs as well. Small but important detail

 

[ainsworth74]

Is "Toffee Apple" slang for these Red Circle coupling codes?

 

[D6130]

Is "Toffee Apple" slang for these Red Circle coupling codes?

No....it refers to the 'fore and aft' power controller in the centre of the driver's desk, which has a large round wooden knob on the end - making it look like a toffee apple.

 

[Spartacus]

Thought this was going to be a thread about merchandise!

I wonder if it's anything to do with them being TOPS registered but the multi potentially not being functional?

 

[randyrippley]

weren't the coupling codes an afterthought, so the original liveries would be without?

 

[D6130]

weren't the coupling codes an afterthought, so the original liveries would be without?

Yes, I believe so. They're certainly not shown in my 1962 Ian Allan ABC combined volume....either in the text or on the photographs.

 

[ainsworth74]

No....it refers to the 'fore and aft' power controller in the centre of the driver's desk, which has a large round wooden knob on the end - making it look like a toffee apple.

Thanks, that makes sense. I am therefore even more bamboozled by the thread title and its relation to the content!

 

[delt1c]

weren't the coupling codes an afterthought, so the original liveries would be without?

Could be but as they didn’t have overhead wire flashes

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Feb 2023 ==

Thanks, that makes sense. I am therefore even more bamboozled by the thread title and its relation to the content!

Because the 31/0’s were know as toffee apples. Ask any enthusiast who remembers them in service

 

[ainsworth74]

Because the 31/0’s were know as toffee apples. Ask any enthusiast who remembers them in service

I see! Not very helpful to those of us born considerably afterwards though

 

[Magdalia]

The "Toffee Apple" nickname derives from the power handle, which was detachable, and looked like a toffee apple, especially when hand held after it had been detached. Only the 20 pilot scheme Brush Type 2s, which had electro-magnetic control, had that type of power handle, so the 20 pilot scheme locos are also usually referred to as Toffee Apples.

Electrification warning flashes and coupling codes both predate blue livery. The blue livery on 31018 should have both, but has neither. 31018 has been like that since it was repainted blue at York more than 20 years ago. That followed a period of about 25 years in green livery, painted at Doncaster Works prior to being handed over to the National Railway Museum.

 

[delt1c]

I see! Not very helpful to those of us born considerably afterwards though

Depends on what your interests are. For many of us it’s the history.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I see! Not very helpful to those of us born considerably afterwards though

There was a thread called Rail Enthusiast Lingo a while back,Toffee Apples were mentioned on it as was the reason behind it.

 

[Trackman]

No....it refers to the 'fore and aft' power controller in the centre of the driver's desk, which has a large round wooden knob on the end - making it look like a toffee apple.

Think only 31/0's had them.

 

[43096]

Electrification warning flashes and coupling codes both predate blue livery. The blue livery on 31018 should have both, but has neither. 31018 has been like that since it was repainted blue at York more than 20 years ago.

You'd think the NRM might have an eye for such details. Not the first time: they had the prototype HST power car with 41001 bodyside number and 252001 front end number - it of course carried 43000 when it was in set 252001.